Fire extinguisher



Oct. 4, 1938. H. LElPoLD FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June l. 1956 INVENTOR m o-gwa,

Patented Oct. 4, v1938 UN-i'rao s'rArl-:s

PATENT OFFICE 2.182.055 ma Exrmamsm Application .me 1, 193s, semi No. 82,803 z calm. (ci. 29o-:m

This invention relates to a iire extinguisher and more particularly to a iire extinguisher of the portable type comprising a liquid receptacle within which is arranged a double acting pump g actuated by a plunger and handle to forcibly eject the liquid from the receptacle on both the inward and outward movements of the plunger and regardless of the position in which the extinguisher may be held.

.10 One of..the principal diillculties in extinguishers of this type is to provide such an extinguisher which, when not in operation, ls sealed 'both against the escape of the re extinguishing liquid and also sealed against the entrance of air but which will, Awhen operated, permit air to enter the receptacle and replace the ilre extinguishing liquid as it is discharged. -To permit this, the principal object of the invention is to provide, as a seal for the plunger, a. series of thin disklike metal washersV alternatingA with fiber washers, the metal washers when the plunger is in repose providing a liquid and air-tight seal and, when exed by the movement of the plunger, permitting air to pass and displace the liquid being discharged.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive means for insuring a discharge of the liquid regardless of the position in which the extinguisher may be held and in particular to provide a simple and Y inexpensive construction of the check valves used in conjunction with the double acting pump.

A further object of the present invention is to insure free rotation of the pump casing within the receptacle and in particular to employ a felt washer between the pump and the casing so as to prevent corrosion at this point and consequent interference with the free rotation of the pump. Another object of the present invention is to V4.0 provide adequate means for stripping all of the liquid from the pump plunger as it is withdrawn.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal central section, through a fire extinguisher embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections. taken on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. l.l on an enlarged scale.

The re extinguisher is shown as having a cylindrical casing 5 having an end head 6 through which the re extinguisher liquid is discharged and having an end head 1 through which the pump is operated. A discharge nozzle 8 extends through and is secured to the head 5 and is provided with a discharge orice 9. This nozzle B supports a discharge tube Ill which isrigidly secured to the nozzle 8 and projects through an opening II provided in the opposite end head 1. The pump includes a cylinder I2 and a plunger I3 which is disposed inside of the cylinder I2 5 and surrounds the discharge tube III. One end of the cylinder I2 is enclosed by an end head I 4 which is preferably die cast and is rigidly secured to the cylinder I2. This end head Il is formed to provide a bearing I5 which engages the dis- 1o charge tube I0 near the discharge end thereof. In order to prevent leakage past the bearing I5 the outer end of the end head Il is recessed and a felt washer I6 is placed in this recess and held therein by a metal washer I1 which can be se- 15 cured to the end head I4 in any suitable manner. In order to prevent corrosion from aiecting the free rotation of the pump cylinder and end head I 4 a felt washer I8 is arranged around the discharge tube I0 and between the discharge nozzle 20 8 and the washer I1. The opposite end of the pump cylinder I2 is enclosed by an end head 20 which is also preferably made in the form of a die casting and is formed to provide a bearing 2| which is supported by the pump plunger I3. 25 This head 20 is rigidly secured to the cylinder. Leakage is prevented through the bearing 2| by a felt washer 22 and this felt washer is retained in place by a bronze washer 23 which also serves to provide additional bearing surfaceV for'the head 30 20 in its movement around the plunger I3.

The plunger I3 operates a piston 2,5 which has a limited sliding movement on the plunger I3. 'I'his piston 25 can be of any suitable form but is preferably provided with felt packing rings 35 26 to prevent the escape of liquid past the piston. 'I'he limited sliding movement of the piston 25 is provided by a stop ring 21 rigidly secured around the plunger I3 and an end nut 28 which is screwed on the inner end of the plunger and 4o also serves to enclose the end of the plunger. This nut 28 provides a bearing 29 around the discharge tube III which prevents the escape of extinguisher liquid from inside of the plunger into the end of the pump cylinder near the discharge 45 end of the extinguisher. As the plunger is reciprocated the piston 25 is moved back and forth between the ring 21 and the nut 28. In one extreme position lit covers aseries of ports 30, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and in the otherextreme 50 position it covers the series of ports 32. In order to provide for the necessary check valves and also to withdraw the re extinguisher liquid from the bottom of the receptacle 5 regardless of what position the container may as- 55 sume each end head I4 and 28 is extended laterally in the same direction as indicated at 33 and 34. These extensions form weights which serve to rotate the entire pump cylinder as the container 5 is rotated. The lateral extension 33 is formed to provide a ball cage 35 for an inwardly opening check ball 36 which seatr on a seat surrounding an orifice 31. The ball 36 is retained in the cage 35 by the pump cylinder I2 and in order to permit the extinguisher liquid passing the check ball 36 to enter the corresponding end of the cylinder I2 a slot 38 is provided in the side of the cylinder registering with the cage 35. This slot 38 is, of course, smaller than the check ball 36 so that the ball 36 cannot enter the pump cylinder. The lateral extension 34 of the opposite end head 20 is likewise formed to provide a ball cage 40 which houses a check ball 4I seating around an orifice 42 in the lateral extension. The pump cylinder l2 is provided with a slot 43 registering with the cage 40, which slot permits the liquid to be drawn past the check ball 4| into the corresponding end of the pump cylinder I2 but retains the ball 4I in the cage 40. The two lateral extensions 33 and 34 are connected by a tube 45 which is preferably arranged parallel with the major axis of the re extinguisher and cornmunicates at one end with a passage 46 in the lateral extension 33 and at its other end with a passage 41 in the lateral extension 34. The passage 46 communicates with the orifice 31 and at its outer end is formed to provide a. seat 48 against which a ball 49 is adapted to seat. This ball 49 is contained within a chamber 50 which is enclosed by a disk 5I. An orice 52 at the extreme lower corner of the extension 33 nearest to the head 6 establishes communication between the chamber 5U and the interior of the receptacle 5.

The passage 41 of the lateral extension 34 communicates with the orice 42 and is also formed to provide a seat 55 against which a ball 56 seats. This ball is contained Within a chamber 51 which is enclosed by a disk 58 similar to the disk 49. Communication between the chamber 51 and the interior of the receptacle is established by a small port 59 at the lower corner of the extension 34 nearest to the end head 1 of the receptacle. The two balls 49 and 56 are connected by a rod 60 so that when one is seated on its seat the other is positively unseated. I

A gland which also forms the air admitting means is provided between the plunger I3 and the end head1. This gland includes a collar 6I extending centrally through the end head 1 and soldered or sweated to this end head is a locking ring 62 which is secured to the outer face of the end head 1, teats` 63 being provided in the end head 1 and engaging recesses in the locking ring 62 to assist in preventing rotation of the locking ring 62. The collar 6I is recessed and in this recess are provided three fiber washers 64 alternating with thin, disk-like bronze washers 65. The bronze washers 65 have a working clearance (.003 of an inch) around the plunger I3 and are bodily displaced and also distorted, together with the intercalated fiber washers when the plunger is moved in either direction. A washer 66 between the end head 20 of the pump cylinder and the collar 6I serves to retain the liber and bronze washers 64, 65 in operative position in the recess in the nut 6 I.

To the end of the plunger I3 is screwed anut 68 which extends beyond the end of the plunger and is formed to provide a space 69 which permits the re extinguishing liquid t0 escape from the interior of the plunger I3 into the interior chamber 'l0 of a handle 1I. This handle 1I has a screw connection with the nut 68, the nut 68 being provided with screw driver slots 12 in order to screw it into the handle 1I. The escape of liquid from the chamber 10 is prevented by a pair of cork washers 13 and also by a washer 14 which, when the handle is locked in position, has a sealing engagement with the collar 6I. In order to prevent the cork washer 13 from being ground against the screw driver slot 12 as the handle is turned, a protecting washer 15 is provided. The locking means for the handle consists of a pair of ears or lugs 16 extending outwardly from the base of the handle 1I and adapted to engage under segmental locking shoulders 18 provided on opposite sides of the locking ring 62. It will beunderstood that the underside of these shoulders 18 are inclined so that when the :ears 16 are caught under these shoulders and the handle is turned a quarter turn or less the washer 14 and cork washers 15 are compressed to provide a tight seal.

As an additional seal against the escape of liquid from the fire extinguisher the end of the liquid discharge tube I0 is sealed when the handle is locked. To this end a small cupshaped cap is arranged in the chamber 10 of the handle and is provided with an open end in which the end of the discharge tube I0 enters. The sealing cap 80 contains a plurality of sealing disks 8i, that engaging the end of the tube I0 being preferably made of rubber, or the like,

and being backed by fiber disks. A compression spring 82 is arranged in back ol' the sealing cap 80 in order to firmly and yieldingly press the cap against the end of the discharge tube.

With the extinguisher constructed as above described and filled with liquid through a filling opening closed by a plug 83 the operation of the extinguisher is as follows, it being assumed that it is desired to discharge a stream of re extinguishing liquid downwardly.

The operator rst turns the handle a quarter turn so as to release the locking ears 16 from under the quadrantal shoulders 18 of the locking ring 62. 'Ihis permits him to draw the handle 1I outwardly and since this handle is connected through the nut 68 with the plunger I3 this movement draws the plunger I3 outwardly. 'Ihe pressure of the liquid in the end of the cylinder I2 causes the piston 30 to move against the end cap or nut 29. This closes the ports 32 and opens the ports 30. At the same time the outward movement of the handle 1I releases the sealing cap 80 from engagement with the end of the discharge tube I0. Consequently, the tire extinguishing liquid contained in that end oi' the pump cylinder I2 nearest to the head 1 will be forced through the ports 30; through the space between the plunger I3 and the discharge tube; and through the space between the nut 68 and the discharge tube into the chamber 10 in the handle from which it is discharged through the open end of the discharge tube I0 and out through the discharge nozzle 8.

As the plunger is moved outwardly the piston 25 draws the iire extinguishing liquid from the receptacle 5 through the port 52 into the chamber 50 and past the ball 49 into the passage 46, this ball 49 being unseated when the ilre extinguisher is tilted downwardly, as assumed, and the re extinguishing liquid from the passage 46 is drawn past the check ball 36 and slot 38 into the end oi the cylinder nearest to the end head yon 6. This end of the cylinder I2 is therefore lled while the opposite end is being discharged.

When the operator reaches the end of the outward stroke he moves the handle inwardly. This immediately causes the piston 25 to move against the collar 21, thereby closing the ports 30 and opening the ports 32, and also causes the ball check 36 to seat. Therefore the fire extinguishing liquid in the end of the pump cylinder i2 nearest to the end head 6 is forced through the ports 32 up the plunger I3, past the nut 68 into the chamber 1I! in the handle 1I, from which it is discharged through the discharge tube IB and nozzle 8. At the same time fire extinguishing liquid is drawn into the opposite end of the pump cylinder I2 through the port 52, chamber 50, past the unseated ball 49, passage 45, tube 45, passage 41, orice 42, past the check ball 4I and through the slot 43.

Since the entire pump cylinder I2 and its end heads I4 and 20 are free to rotate around tht discharge tube I and plunger I3, the lateral exY tensions 33 and 34 always assume the dependent position shown in Fig. 1. Therefore the extinguishing liquid is drawn from the lowermost part of the receptacle because the balls 49 connected by the bar 60 insure that the re extinguishing liquid is only withdrawn through the port 52 or 59 of that end head which is lowermost. Therefore in the downwardly tilted position of the fire extinguisher assumed substantially the entire contents of the extinguisher will be withdrawn through the port 52 and discharged.

If it is desired to discharge the contents of the re extinguisher upwardly the tilting of the extinguisher causes the ball 49 to seat and the ball 56 to unseat and therefore the liquid from the receptacle will be entirely discharged through the port59.

It will be appreciated that the free rotation o the pump cylinder is essential and to this end the fiber washer I8 is employed to prevent any corrosive sticking between the washer I`1 and the discharge nozzle 8. It will also be noted that the cage for the check balls 36 and 4I is provided in part by the pump cylinder I2 by the simple expedient of providing the slots 38 and 43 in the cylinder. This avoids the/unnecessary expense of specially forming the entire check valve assembly in the end heads.

As the liquid is discharged from the receptacle 5 it is necessary to replace the discharge liquid with air since otherwise a partial vacuum would be created which would lprevent the complete discharge of the contents. Applicant effects the admission of air through the gland in the end head 1 by means of the thin metal washers B5 interposed between the fiber washers 64. As the piston rod I3 is moved in either direction it bodily displaces the metal washers 65 and also Ilexes these washers and distorts the packing as a whole. 'I'he bodily movement of the metal and fiber washers permits air to pass between the washersand the piston rod and also between these washers and the socket in which they are located, breaking any liquid seal and thereby providing a breather for the extinguisher. Without the metal washers floatingly supported between the ber washers the felt would compress and become set or permanently packed at the end of the socket. By the provision of laminations of flexible metal and ber washers this permanent compression or setting of the felt packing is avoided and the packing maintained at full efficiency as a breather and seal.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive hand operated fire extinguisher of the double acting pump type in which the mechanism is simplified and the cost reduced as compared with other fire extinguishers of this type and in which the fire extinguisher will continue to function properly without danger of the parts corroding and sticking. It will further be seen that applicants' means for permitting the entrance of air to replace the liquid discharged from the receptacle provides an air and liquidtight seal when the fire extinguisher is not being used and also provides a means for stripping any fire extinguishing liquid remaining on ther plunger I3 before it is withdrawn from the receptacle.

I claim as my invention:

1. A packing and breather for a plunger pump mounted in an enclosed container and discharging the liquid therefrom, comprising a member mounted on said container and surrounding said plunger, said member being formed to provide a cylindrical socket around said plunger, a plurality of brous washers in said socket and around said plunger and a plurality of metal washers intercalated with said brous washers and free to be bodily displaced under the inuence of the piston rod thereby to permit the passage of air through the packing while said piston rod is being moved and preventing a permanent compression of the packing.

2. A packing and breather for a plunger pump mounted in an enclosed container and discharging the liquid therefrom, comprising a. member mounted on said container and surrounding said plunger, said member being formed to provide a cylindrical socket around said plunger, a plurality of flat disk-like brous washers in said socket and around said plunger and a plurality of fiat, exible metal washers intercalated with said brous washers and free to be bodily dis-- placed and iiexed under the influence of the plston rod thereby to permit the passage of air through the packing while said piston rod is being moved and preventing a permanent compression of the packing.

HUGO LEIPOLD. 

